Here my world cup experience.The Trip started around Friday morning at 11.00. In the car: Ettore, Mary, Lorenzo and me! The city was empty because of the Holiday, the problem came when we crossed the motorway entrance line: all the people was there waiting for us! A queue long 100km made us to change our plan of glory to visit a bit Voitsberg in the afternoon. 10 hours instead of 6 isn’t actually a good welcome for the kick off holiday!After the very tiring trip (the last 2 hours driven by Lorenzo) we arrived in Voitsberg. The first KOA face I saw this year was Peter! I thought to not see him this year because of his world trip, instead it has been the first KOA face of 2013! Michelone (we call Michele in that way to say Big Michele) followed few seconds later!When we finished to move all the things in the room arrived also Michael Malli to bring us the the Friday night dinner.I left Maria Chiara and Ettore at home because the child was very tired and Maria Chiara as well, but once I entered in the place where the KOA Friday night was held, watching my KOA family I decided immediately that although she was tired, Maria Chiara could miss that one, because the feeling was simply amazing! So I made a run back to hotel to take her and Ettorino.The meal was very nice and it was a great emotion for me to present Ettore to the KOA community, it has been a sort second baptism, it was fun for everybody I guess, and I he enjoyed it too!A great idea by our organizers Michael and Michael to bring the KOA in such lovely place.

The hotel and the room was very good as expected, I loved the continental breakfast and in particular I love that cosy breakfast area!

This year for me everything had a special taste: being there with my son was something that I don’t think I have the words to describe.Anyway, in some way I think that it was something that somehow was infectious!

In the years I watched many times the pictures inside the Voitsberg ‘s world cup venue. Well, entering again in that place, I thought that pictures and memory were never enough, compared to reality. The sensation of majesty entering in the venue is something new every time!.

After a nice pre tournament show presented by Alkis (all the stats of each player attending the world cup with a nice background music).the tournament started and for the first time ever we had a day one as a real and proper qualification round to make the perfect seeding for the world cup!For the first time we used a software that I was used to use for Milan local tournaments.The operators at the desk were very glad to see that the program, although it was written in Italian, it was absolutely easy to use, in day one I just supervised but they were clever enough to do everything by themselves. Btw, Thanks to Wolfgang and and Kurt, they were very helpful for every thing during the world cup!A venue that can contain at least 100 kick off players seemed empty with 18 players but I must say that I didn’t care much, we had more room to share between friends. Much better than that time that in Luton 2006 we had to stay in 21 in a venue that was smaller than a phone box with a smell of dead goat in putrefaction coming from all of us So we even had room to lay down a carpet for Ettore letting him to play! or better we should say, letting Maria Chiara to play!

It was amazing to play and rock him between match and match. I even played a 4 hands match against Klaus who can clearly ask for a rule infraction and disqualify me!

We knew that we had a new guy in town so I was really curious to watch him and taste his flesh…I watched a Christopher match and I immediately realized that force was strong in that one. An impressive way to play, great talent in all the aspects of the game, attack defence, timing, quickness, precision, good tactic knowledge, solid under pressure. and also a very nice, fellow! I think that, he liked a lot the world cup and the KOA, I can bet he will join again many world cup, starting from Copenhagen, since he lives in the north.

So we faced each other once and the standing had some strong confirmation and also some big exploit.I closed first winning all the matches.About me I think I played my best world cup so far: I have been able to play a very good kick off against everybody and I’ve been able to revert the score even in those games where my opponent was playing at a stellar level. Andy was leading the first half 4-1 and he saved even a Penalty kick and a couple of header save in front of the goal. than I came back him getting 6-4 but in the end, closing the gap to 6-5 Andy was very close to catch the draw.With Steve the game was close from the beginning to the end the match, Steve caught the draw in the second half of the 10th minute but at the very last second I found the victory with a diagonal header goal! I found Steve playing very well, very solid in defence, he was able to shot many and many times, luckily for me very few lobs crossed the white line. 4-3 is a great result after all.Against Michael Ma, remembering our match in Birmingham, the 6-6 game was still burning. This time the sum of goals was again 12 but distribute in a different way.Ettore helped me to beat Klaus then. The game was clearly unfair and I’m expecting some notification from the sporting judge.After that game I played Alkis. The game started with two penalty kick for me that I promptly converted in goals. In the end the fouls were 0-10 and the score was 8-3. Probably Alkis wanted to double digit me, he founded somehow the way.We had the lunch break then. The meal was very good indeed, and I liked a lot both the meal, on Saturday and on Sunday.

In the afternoon all the other games followed, starting from Oliver. I’m always afraid to play him because I know he is one among those that have the numbers to beat me. He is very strong and he has been very close to beat me few times already. Anyway I was able to stop his powerful attack again. On the other side my attack is somehow difficult to be stopped.Michelone then. I think it was a very hard world cup this year. I think he has been even unlucky in the results. If you watch the stats, you see that he scored and conceded the same goals as Klaus, the difference is that Klaus got the 11th position while Michelone got the 16th.In defence he was able to stop me many times although he collected 8 goals against me.Lorenzo played an amazing defensive game. He squeezed the 532 to the maximum. The problem was that he was so focused in defence that he forgot to check the presence of Fisher in my goal. We never sow him in the whole match.Finally I played with the Rookie of the Year. It was said that Christopher beat Michael Ma twice and Alkis had a job to have reason about him.He asked me if I really was the 3 times world champion and 6 world cup final owner (he knew everything, I was surprised!) so I understood he wanted to see how play the best player in the world. Also to understand if he was better then me or not. So I removed my mask of family man and nice fellow and I showed him the real face of Dr. Pain.A part the score that it was severe for him, I realized how strong and the big potential there is in Christopher. A very strong talent, I can put him at the level of Mario and Paolo D and probably further. He has just some lack of knowledge in the deep mechanism of the game, but his absolute talent with the joystick is not in question.I played Jorg then. Winning without many problems and then I finally played with Dino Dini! We spoke the whole match and he played in Blitz! a good solution since he scored me twice and both were very nice goals! I’ve been glad to see him shouting for his goals scored!After Dino I played another one of my Online Rivals, the one that is most improved in the last two years: of course I mean Durban.Also with him I have a very hard job as he led the first half 4-1 basically dominating me. When I realized that much people was starting to stand behind us, I understood that it was time to do something, otherwise my winning streaks in Voitsberg would have been broken.I made s strong come back then, allowing nothing to Mark that was a bit upset since he was starting to taste the victory. In the end I played Jorn, Michael, Helmut and Peter. I loved in particular the last game with Peter as he scored a very nice goal in the end of the match.After that everybody played all their 17 matches, the last 4 players played the new formula of game of shame. I think that this 4 players match was very entertaining and I think that was the best game of shame so far. Michele and Michael F beat Dino and Peter 4-2. In the end Dino wore the short of shame, losing the final shoot of shame versus Peter.

I want to spend some words about Dino. The most I know him, the most I see he is a very nice, fun, and willing to joke. An Italian!I don’t know how many celebrities would have worn the infamous shirt of shame for two days. It is a pleasure to me, to see and to know that he cares much about the KOA.

In the end of Day one we had some surprises: the big one was to see Mark over Andy and Alkis over Andy! Ok, Alkis is a master but he had a daughter, he didn’t sleep for weeks and above all he was completely out of practice. On the other side Andy was on fire, in the last years he played thousand of matches, practicing against the best players around. To see Andy at the second place was more than plausible. Instead Alkis played like a demon and got just a lost against me, winning al the other matches.What surprised me much was the very bad performance of Lorenzo. I would have seeded him in the top 8 for that I knew about him. But the tension is a black beast.About the dinner, we have been in the same Pizzeria where we have been on the Sunday night dinners in 2009. the Pizza wasn’t be best pizza so far but who cares, we were there to stay together and have fun. So that made the job.

After another one very good breakfast we went again in the venue.Day 2 was going to start!After Day one that ruled actually as a Draw/qualification stage, we had finally a perfect standing gathered in 4 groups.

The groups gave use the biggest surprises.Just my group (B) went somehow as expected, so I won, Michael Ma second, Rodolfo for the silver semi final and Michael behind.The other groups were driven in a roulette.Group C. Alkis and Oliver were the big names, Lorenzo basically didn’t have chance to get the quarter final world cup, above all in light to his day one fiasco.He was in a group where there was even Jorg: a player that gave Lorenzo many disappointments.The only chance was to pass Oliver, but if you consider that Oliver even snagged 3 points to Alkis, you can understand that just a miracle could give to Lorenzo the Quarter finals.Miracles sometimes happen. Lorenzo beat twice Dino and Jorg and in the end got 4 points Vs Oliver, getting 16 points and the second place in the group! You cannot imagine the Lorenzo’s face. Andy recorded those moments. Hope he will publish soon! In group D Mark (3rd in day one) was the favourite to get the first but Steve (8th in day one) had a different idea.Steve, quite and light, was having one of the best defence in the world cup and in the group stage he confirmed his trend, he was performing a very good world cup.Group E, with Andy and Christopher gave no chances to the 3rd and the 4th to get the top 8. they were to strong. There was just a problem. The second of the group had to face me in the quarter, in the last 8 years that meant sure death so to avoid the second place was a matter of life and death.In fact the last game that decided the final position (the game was showed on the big screen) was a game full of mistakes driven by a tension that was practically touchable.Andy seemed the ghost of himself, but also Christopher missed a load of passes, chances, narrow angles that without such pressure would have scored easily.Christopher won 5-1 confirming to be a new big in the KOA.That send Andy on my road to world cup.I didn’t know that match was my last stop, putting end to a streak long 8 years of big screen games, 8 years straight of medals, and my “all wins” status in Voitsberg soil. But, as it is common to say in Major League Baseball: “Streaks are made to be broken”. Kick off doesn't make exception.Andy is a special player and a special fellow. His outgoing personality is reflected also in his game style. Never banal, always looking for a good angle to approach the goal. Stellar skills with his joystick, very competent on every pixel of the pitch. A big weakness his that suffers a lot under pressure. The tension of the world cup is able to make him to play at 20% of his real power.

In the first match Andy, practically speaking drunk, to kill the tension, dominated the first half leading 4-1. This time I wasn’t able to complete the come back in the second half so the game finished 6-5 for him. Andy was laid down on the flow!

In the second leg, Andy, practically speaking drunk played less better then the first leg, on the other side I had to come back, the tension was high but I was playing very well getting a strong lead and a complete control of the match. In the second half I was leading by 3 goals the aggregate count and I was playing on the velvet, seen that the last goal I scored was even a stop volley header.Anyway in Kick off never say never again and, like the best Spyros, Andy, playing with great heart and willpower was able to come back and equal the aggregate score that led us to the extra time. In the extra time he had a one two that cut my legs off.In some way it reminded me a lot Rickmansworth !Amazing success for Andy that found the way for his 3rd big screen games in 3 world cup attended.The other 3 quarter finals went as expected so the who was first beat who was second in the group stage.Of course looking just to myself I was sad to get out the quarter finals, but if I have to look things with a wider angle, I think that the Andy’s victory was a good for the KOA. If always the same players win, there is no interest in the competition. And then, people love the heroic feat, I think that Andy did so. But Andy wasn’t the only one in to do the heroic feat. Christopher, the new guy, got the big screen at his first world cup appearance! Amazing! Amazing was also his mate that was supporting him! What a passion! Neither Thorsten would support me in such way! I’m always glad to see such things. Really hope to see both next year and who said, maybe early in some internationals tournaments.I played the play out semi finals with Michael. I think he is very strong and above all, he knows well few advanced techniques that the most don’t handle well, I’m sure that he hasn’t reached hid edge yet. My play out final was with Lorenzo! Another one world cup hero. From the 13 place in day one to the 6 position in day two. Amazing performance. A pity for him that he wasn’t able to handle Steve, a player that faced and beat on line many and many times. But I have to say, finally, that the Voitsberg’s Steve was the best Steve I ever seen. Maybe he mistook some games, but overall did an amazing tournament, crown with a great bronze medal, his first medal in 13 World cup Attended. Finally!!! The right award for a guy who spend much time for this community! Oliver dominated the Silver cap final then, over a good Klaus.In the Semi Andy took his revenge against Christopher while Alkis took a steamroller to pass over Steve.Steve saved some fuel for the 3/4 final while Christopher gave everything in the semi final.The Final was very tense. I think that we could cook an egg over the chairs where they where sat down.Although I don’t like his lob attitude, I was supporting Alkis because of his special story with the Holy Shield. The last time he won, television was still in black and white, joystick were made in wood and tournaments were held in caverns.Andy is young, this is just his 3rd world cup, he has time to engrave his name on the Holy Shield, on the other hand, I needed 5 years to engrave my name on the Precious… His moment isn’t much far!The Alkis celebrations was something that I couldn’t miss for anything on the Earth.Great final presentation held by our host Michael and the moment that Dino gave the Holy Shield to Alkis was simply fantastic.About me, I simply want to say thanks to organizers and the KOA to give me the lifetime achievement award. I’m very proud of it and I felt very lucky I could share it with Maria Chiara. She is a true organizer, she really cares about the KOA.I’ve been also very glad to get the best attack and best defence award! Just hope I made well the counts, I would want to send back some trophy to somebody else!The last night unluckily I missed part of the fun being gone away early due to father duties, just hope that some one will post it soon, I cannot wait to see full monty Jorn!Last early breakfast with some KOAers again (Steve, Alkis and somebody else) then we started the trip back to Milan. Luckily this time the trip was perfect, we arrived in Milan on time to let Lorenzo to catch the train and get back in Rimini, his town.It was a fantastic and memorable Christmas!I miss my Kick off family, I really hope to see all you soon! Long life to the KOA!

BTW, one week is passed and just one world cup report?!?!?!?! I can excuse Alkis who is working on alkis.org and WC organizers due to decompression time after the WC. but all the other? Are you all became so lazy? come on!

Twas the night before Voitsberg, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.....

Voitsberg was the perfect opportunity for me to tick off one city that had always been on my 'to see' list but I hadn't yet managed to get to - Vienna.

I took this opportunity by arriving for the WC a day earlier than usual and spending an evening and a full morning exploring the city.I got to see the Danube, and St Stephen's Cathedral, the Statues of all the great composers in the park,Hofburg Palace, Leopold Museum and best of all a man doing a poop behind a bench whilst having a full on chat with his imaginary friend in full view of the world...incredible!

So after a fun filled morning, I got on the CAT train (which was great) and raced back to Vienna Airport in time to Meet the legendaries - Alkis and Jorn in the Coffee bar.

A few nice chats, and a triple charged bill, later and Rodolfo arrived....somehow getting to the airport without coming through the arrivals doors where Jorn was waiting with a beautiful hand painted sign.....

Andy and Steve arrived later and the road trip had begun.

Me and Jorn did a last minute Alcohol shop, and Duff beers were bought for the journey.

We made it in record time, took just over 2 hours for what the Sat Nav told us would take around 3 days, well done Jorn - No wonder the Vikings conquered so many lands, they just simply got there before anyone else!

So that evening we went to the Bushenshank and met everyone else, including my brother Lorenzo and his son Ettore who Gianni was babysitting for him

It was a lovely meal, a great fun evening and then Taxi's back to the hotel, it was about 1am at this point, but Jorn and Andy DRAGGED me to the bar next door and forced me to drink Rum whilst staring at gorgeous blonde barmaids with cute bottoms...the bastards - and they call themselves my friends!!!

We got home about 4am, perfect preperation for the WC I feel.

And finally the World Cup had begun....

I felt I played quite well on Day 1, I was lucky in most matches but overall I finished about 15 places higher than I thought I would.

My results -

Won vs Steve C (5-0)Ha Steve is runty and I showed him how to play the game...was so easy I actually gave up at half time and let him try and score wtihout my players on the pitch...he failed - what a scumbag!

Won vs Michael F (5-1)Michael, one of our great hosts, was as usual a hard match to start. I think we ended 1-1 at half time and I was worried that my 100% record would be broken right then and there (which would be quite runty after just one game!). Luckily I got a few standard goals and although Michael hit the post when it should have been 2-1 to him my team hung on and did well to score a few towards the end and give me a clear but not really deserved win.

Won vs Klaus L (5-0)Klaus is normally a very hard opponent for me (as he proved on day 2) but for some reason I don't think he was quite ready to start playing at this stage of Saturday so I got a good win. I was very surprised that it was 5-0 but gladly took the fact I had played 3 won 3 and only conceded 1 goal...at this point I went top of the League!!!!

Won 1-0 vs LorenzoUrgh! Lorenzo and I play about 50 games a week, both of us kinda know how we are going to play in competition and so 1-0 was actually quite an attacking result for once...0-0 is very common. I was lucky as usual, these games always seem to go either way by a goal (although online Lorenzo Kills me most times!) I was very very glad to win, although sad it was against my favourite KOA'er! But top of the league again, and still only 1 goal conceded in 4 games...come on me!!!

Won 7-5 vs Andy GOh well it was fun while it lasted, my win streak comes to an end against my friend and one of the best players ever..Andy G...oh hold on I accidently won, there must be a bug. It was a very tight game, I scored 2 goals quickly at the end to take the result but I seem to recall Andy's finishing wasn't quite up to his normal standard, any other day it would probably have ended 10-7 to him! But don't misunderstand me, I love to beat that bastard hahahah!!! Guess who is still top of the league and with the best defence woohoo!

Drew 3-3 vs Michael MaThe nicest person in the whole of the KOA in my opinion, but what a BASTARD! He broke my win streak. His beautiful daughter and wife turned up and I thought hahah here I go he will be put off and I will win about 15-0... Damn he just kept scoring when I did. I LOVE playing this guy, he is a nice person away from the game, but he is just so funny when you are playing, and his style is awesome if you ask me. He plays such a nice attacking style, the games are just totally FUN win or lose. I would have liked to win tho, I don't think a draw really helped any of us. I was still top after the match, but that was mainly because I had played more than Gianni and Alkis.

Won 4-1 vs Rodolfo MI can only remember playing Rodolfo once in last years WC and it was such a tough match that I somehow won. I think Rodolfo's style suits my play tho as I keep finding gaps. He is such a tough player but for some reason I can deal with his attacks quite well (just one of those games I guess). I fought hard as did he and I managed to fluke a goal, and then scored a really nice goal to take a clear lead. He didn't let up, he is spanish ffs, he just kept on trying till the end, so whilst it seemed to be a big gap it felt like just one goal when we finished!

Won 4-3 vs Jorn FMWow, I thought I was completely dead. Jorn was 3-0 up and should perhaps have had more at half time. I joked I was going to comeback and win, and we both laughed because basically I was shit and he was far better.Somehow I scored and that lead to another very quick goal...one goal in it and for some reason my team started working out how to play the game. It was quite simply the toughest match I had on day 1, I still am unsure how I won. It wasn't deserved it was about 200% luck but it was still a victory that I both loved and hated for obvious reasons...but still unbeaten...moving on.

Lost 4-5 vs Christopher DNooo its over, beaten by the Noob. But what a player he is, first tournament he was incredible. Our game was great, we both could have won it, but I think Chris deserved it overall. Its refreshing to play a player who knows how the game works (he knows where to make the killer pass) but his goals are just so different. Some of his little moves when Barber has it in the box are like art...You are expecting the trapmove, or to go around the keeper but he just does these little moves, mini versions perhaps, and finishes so well. It was a great game to play in, I wish I could have won it but he deserved it and as he proved he was a very strong and worth opponent to lost my first match against!

Won 3-0 vs Jorg PLast thing you want after losing is a game against the greatest German of all time! Panni was great, I won 3-0 somehow, not sure why or how this happened. He perhaps isn't as strong as he used to be, perhaps he prefers the fun of the tournaments now but he can still be a very very hard opponent. To win without conceding was pretty damn good, especially after losing. I think I got a scumbag penalty to start the scoring - Jawohl!!

Won 7-5 vs Oliver StWow. I played Oliver, I expected to lose and wanted to keep the scoring down (as my defence was still in pretty good shape). Somehow I won. I remember playing out of my skin and managing to score pretty much every chance...I still am not sure how I can win against such a strong player as Oliver, unless his mind was on Georgia perhaps?! Was a very good attacking match, he was strong (perhaps not 100% which is how I won!) but definately a contender for my best win so far (Andy G was easy!!!)

Won 7-2 vs Helmut HHelmut is such a nice guy, he was his usual happy self (obviously the twins must have helped his mood) and he took an early lead. My team rallied just before half time and managed to go in 2-1 up. Second half was a different story, my team just seemed to score every chance (including a fluke Barrett cross that Boomed into the corner, and then a fluke shot from Nicholls)Ended up being quite comfortable, but only due to the quick second half start and lucky goals taking the edge off the game.

Lost 4-6 vs Gianni TDamn, was 4-1 up against the great Gianni. I was actually totally in control at one point, not sure why or how, Gianni perhaps was pre-occupied as Alkis was spending far too much time with his son! But at 4-1 in the first minute of second half I missed an absolute Sitter and I think GT saw that as a weakness, he just went into full on World Champ overdrive, as if to win back the affections of his wife from the Evil Alkis Roofrakis....and he showed me who was the boss scoring 5 goals in just over 3 minutes without anything I could do. Was a great match for 6 minutes tho and I was still 3rd with the best overall defence...somehow!

Won 1-0 vs Dino DLast year I played Dino for the first time, and it was a horrible match. I won with the worst ever goal seen in the KOA, 1-0 after Dino could have taken the lead. This one was even tighter. Dino had chances but was struggling with his stick (he needs to find one he can call his own I feel!) and hit the post a moment before I managed to break and score. My goal was actually quite sweet, good passing and a great finish...I guess I should have thanked Dino for coding the game that way haha Dino had two great chances as the game ended, and once again I was left feeling rather fortunate to have hung on. I know he finished relatively low in the league, but I always struggle, perhaps my players respect him or something I dunno!

Won 4-1 vs Michele LFound out he wasn't a chef after all, not sure what gave me that idea, but this guy turns up to World Cups and all he needs to do is work on his finishing and he will be a great player. We had a tough game, as in quite a few of my games (and unlike previous WC) I manage to hang on and then score a few late goals to win. Had he finished all his chances it would have been 5-4 to Italy for sure!

Won 7-5 vs Peter SPeter Kick off Lobbed me 3 times, and the crowd gathered. I think we had about 100 people cheering him on at one point when he lead 5-4. It was a fun fun match, and I couldn't get ahead of him. The crowd urged him on it was horrible, everyone wanted me to get beat..the bastards..then I realised I was WC DURBAN ffs and scored 3 goals in a few moments to win. Was such a fun game against a worth opponent who really upped his game against me and almost pulled it off....

Lost 1-9 vs Alkis PI felt really bad for Alkis, I knew how much he wanted to win the WC so as a good friend I let him score lots of goals against me, I felt it was the only nice thing to do! BAsically he forking killed me every time he had the ball, I couldn't get it...I want a drink!

I somehow finished 3rd with a pretty damn good defence, my attack was ok but nothing spectacular (rather low in fact) but I was so happy where I finished. 3rd with people like Oliver, Michael Ma, Andy G behind me!!! Wow

We then all went for pizza and yet again I was abused for having a Hawaaiian pizza, when will people learn. It gives you one of your 5 a day ffs.....

It was now about midnight, the Germans wanted to go to a Rock Club...yaaaaaarrrrrrr....so Jorn was up for it, but Andy wanted to go and find some old women who LTC in a bar somehwere.

I got in a taxi on my own with some cult leader who wanted to cut out my eyes...but luckily I talked him out of it using my great grasp of the German language and I arrived at the ROCK CLUB YAAAR. It was clearly the most fucking weird place I had ever been to. Yes some of the women were hot, some were old, some were about 10 ffs. The men were all fucking nuts, and one minute they were groping an older woman by the bar, next minute they were kissing some young boys...wtf get me out of here...and the Rock was actually Brit Pop. It was an experience, and to get to spend time in this amazing place with Peter, Jorn and Jorg is worth all the effort of survival in what was clearly some Vampire bar!

We left after a few drinks (the beer was acutally quite nice) and got back home at about 2. We then decided we would wake up the girl called Andy who had gone to bed...and like a true man he said 'give me 2 minutes' and he was out of bed and downstairs ready to party...we went back to the Bar next door to the hotel Up and Downtown or whatver its called...and our waitresses were waiting for us...we didn't even need to order she just did the usual and served them up...another fun night full of laughter...back to the hotel about 4.30 where me and Jorn decided to talk about the words problems until about 5.30 at which point the annoying rooster with the big bell starting cock a doodle ding donging to wake us up for breks and day 2 of the KO2 world cup....YAAAAAWN...

Day 2 I was basically shit. Whether I was tired, or burned out from Day 1 or just basically out of my depth is unclear.

I drew with Steve C, I thought 'this means It could be ok after all' but in the return leg I think he beat me 10-2 or something daft.

I drew with Klaus but in the return leg I beat him.

I then won both my games vs Michele although they were a little too close, and I made it to the Quarter Finals...woohoo bring on my opponent...Alkis P ? Who is he?

Alkis basically does what he does best and battered me over 2 legs, although I felt I hung on for a quite respectable scoreline in the end, I think overall it was 15-6 or something which isn't that bad.

I then played Michel Ma in the playouts, and we both took a game 3-2, again the games were close and fun, but he beat me comfortably in extra time to take his place in the top 6 of the world.

This left me and Lorenzo to fight out for 7/8th place...Lorenzo won both games, and rightfully took 7th Place in the whole wide world...leaving me as the 8th best player officially in the world EVER!!! hahah

I really enjoyed the lesser number of players, things felt to run a lot smoother and I got to play EVERYONE at least once. It was a great setup. Obviously bigger numbers make it feel more eventful, but I really think the numbers we had worked perfectly in the end.

Finally we got to watch Alkis P win the World Cup in a great game (actually quite a poor finishing game) vs Andy who was amazingly Second in the world!

WE finally left to go to Look Kool or whatever its called and all went really well until the Blue Drink arrived. Me and Jorn were fking sober, and that shit knocked us out cold and Andy had to drag us both home, knocking on doors and swearing in German at about 4am....sadly our club next door was closed as it was a sunday, so we all had a quick singalong and went to bed...what a fun night!

Next morning we all woke up fresh as daisies and made our way home to the airport, everyone was either full of cold or hungover...but we still made it for another year...

Me Steve and Andy, like the non cowards we are, were the LAST to leave Austria...because we are british and we are heroes!

Bye bye Boitsberg and the Barmaids...see you in 4 years like we promised....

No longer the only UK based Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Crewe supporter in the whole of the KOA!!!